Solution containing whey protein, whey protein gel, whey protein powder and processed food product produced by using the same

Abstract

A denatured whey-protein-containing solution which can be converted to an irreversible gel without heating characterized by the fact that said whey-protein-containing solution is produced by diluting a solution of non-denatured whey protein to an extent that coagulation of the whey protein does not occur when the solution is heated at a temperature higher than that required to denature the whey protein, and then heating this diluted solution to a temperature higher than that required for denaturing the whey protein, to produce a soluble association of denatured whey protein molecules without causing coagulation, which solution undergoes irreversible gelation simply by the addition thereto of monovalent or divalent salt-derived ions to form a transparent, non-heat-coagulated gel product which is highly resistant to water dissociation and stable to heat and therefore can be used extensively in raw, frozen, or heat-processed foods or other foodstuffs.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A gellable solution of heat denatured whey proteins having a hydrophobicity (FI mg-protein) of at least 50, which solution has a protein concentration of 0.5 to 20%, a pH of 6.0 to 9.0, an ash concentration of less than 1.0%, and undergoes irreversible gelation by the addition thereto of monovalent or divalent salt-derived ions, which solution is produced by heating a corresponding solution of non-denatured whey protein to a non-coagulating temperature higher than that required to denature the whey protein therein and which would coagulate a whey protein solution of higher ash content. 
     
     
       2. The whey-protein-containing solution as set forth in claim 1 which is heated at 65° C. or higher for 2 seconds to 60 minutes under a pressure of 1 to 1.2 atm. 
     
     
       3. The whey-protein-containing solution as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hydrophobicity of the whey protein in the solution is 100 FI/mg-protein or more. 
     
     
       4. The whey-protein-containing solution as set forth in claim 1 wherein, the whey protein concentration in the solution is 2 to 15%. 
     
     
       5. A whey-protein-containing powder obtained by freeze-drying the whey-protein-containing solution as set forth in claim 1 wherein the whey protein concentration is 0.5 to 10%. 
     
     
       6. A whey protein gel product obtained by the addition of monovalent or divalent salt-derived ions to the whey-protein-containing solution as set forth in claim 1. 
     
     
       7. A whey, protein gel product obtained by dissolving the whey-protein-containing powder as set forth in claim 5 in an aqueous liquid and adding monovalent or divalent salt-derived ions to the resulting solution. 
     
     
       8. A whey protein gel product as set forth in claim 6 wherein said monovalent or divalent salt-derived ions are salt-derived ions provided by one or more salts selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium sulfate, calcium sulfate, sodium sulfate, calcium chloride, potassium sulfate, sodium polyphosphate, sodium diphosphate and sodium monophosphate. 
     
     
       9. A whey protein gel product as set forth in claim 6 wherein said monovalent or divalent salt-derived ions are salt-derived ions provided by whole milk, skim milk powder, cheese, condensed milk or flavoring agents. 
     
     
       10. A whey protein gel product as set forth in claim 6 wherein the concentration of said monovalent or divalent salt-derived ions is 0.02M or higher. 
     
     
       11. A whey protein gel product as set forth in claim 6 which is obtained at a temperature lower than the heat-denaturation temperature for the whey protein after the addition of monovalent or divalent salt-derived ions. 
     
     
       12. A whey-protein-containing powder composition which comprises 20-65% by weight of the whey-protein-containing powder as set forth in claim 5, 20-55% by weight of skim milk powder and 15-60% by weight of saccharides. 
     
     
       13. Dessert or hors d'oeuvre jelly or the like produced by adding monovalent or divalent salt-derived ions to a mixture comprising the whey-protein containing solution as set forth in claim 1 and a seasoning component. 
     
     
       14. A processed meat or fish food or the like containing crushed pieces of the whey-protein-containing gel product as set forth in claim 6 as a fat substitute. 
     
     
       15. A processed food comprising a W/O (water-in-oil) or O/W (oil-in-water) type emulsion obtained by adding monovalent or divalent salt-derived ions to an emulsion comprising the whey-protein-containing solution as set forth in claim 1 and fat. 
     
     
       16. A processed meat or fish food obtained by injecting the whey-protein-containing solution as set forth in claim 1 into a shaped meat or fish product containing monovalent or divalent salt-derived ions. 
     
     
       17. A processed food containing the whey protein gel product as set forth in claim 6 and adapted for use as a fat substitute, an adhesive agent, or a filler or agent for preventing water dissociation. 
     
     
       18. A cooked fish paste product comprising the whey-protein-containing solution as set forth in claim 1 or a whey-protein-containing slurry or gel obtained by the addition of monovalent or divalent salt-derived ions to said whey-protein-containing solution, and a fish paste. 
     
     
       19. An instant dessert or hors d'oeuvre jelly mixture or the like comprising the whey-protein-containing powder as set forth in claim 5, a source of monovalent or divalent salt-derived ions and a seasoning component. 
     
     
       20. An instant dessert mixture or the like for milk admixture preparations comprising the whey-protein-containing powder as set forth in claim 5 and a seasoning component. 
     
     
       21. A whey protein gel product as set forth in claim 7 wherein said monovalent or divalent salt-derived ions are salt-derived ions provided by one or more salts selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium sulfate, calcium sulfate, sodium sulfate, calcium chloride, potassium sulfate, sodium polyphosphate, sodium diphosphate and sodium monophosphate. 
     
     
       22. A whey protein gel product as set forth in claim 7 wherein said monovalent or divalent salt-derived ions are salt-derived ions provided by whole milk, skim milk powder, cheese, condensed milk or flavoring agents. 
     
     
       23. A whey protein gel product as set forth in claim 7 wherein the concentration of said monovalent or divalent salt-derived ions is 0.02M or higher. 
     
     
       24. A whey protein gel, product as set forth in claim 7 which is produced at a temperature low than the heat-denaturation temperature. 
     
     
       25. A processed meat or fish food or the like containing crushed pieces of the whey-protein-containing gel product as set forth in claim 7 as a fat substitute.